Clamp and support for flash lights



March 14, 1933. F. R. MEGINNISS CLAMP AND SUPPORT FOR FLASH LIGHTS Filed Dec. 10, 1930 5r WW Arroawzvs Patented lvlar. 14,

FEERA-NGIS n. Mnemms's, or ALBANY, new YORK f CLAMP Annsur'ronr r03 FLASH LIGHTS 7 Application filed December 10, 1930; Serial 1 To. 501,376.

. inventioirmore particularly relates to combined clamping in'einber and a. support for a flashlight by which the flashlight may normally be 'frictionally retained in said clamping member and readily adjusted therein and supported by a member. attached to the clamping member. H

y invention will best be understood by refg'efence to the accompanying drawing in w hich'l have illustrated certain preferred embodiments thereof and in which Fig. 1' is a side view of a flashlight with the clamping member and support therefor, embodying my invention, attached to the flashlight,

Fig. 2is an end view of Fig. 1 and illustrating in dotted lines, positions to which the flashlight may be turned without chang ing the position of the support,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the combined clamping member for the flashlight and the support which is attached fl e a v Fig. 4 is a fragmentary "plan view of a portion of the clamping member,

Fig. 5 is a side View of Fig. 4, Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of clamping member and a support attached thereto, embodying my invention, and Fi 7 is an end View of Fig. 6. Lil re reference characters indicate like parts throughout the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing. and first to 3? Figs. 1 to 5, 10 indicates generally a'clamping device which may be applied to a flashlight indicated generally at 11, and comprising a casing, 12, and, in the embodiment of my inventionillustrated, having a side projection 13.

The clamping member 10 comprises a loop,

14 formed of spring metal, preferably sheet metal, the loop having slitted portions 15,

the slits extending circnmferentially of the loops, as best shown in Fig. the loop is slitted, as at 16, providing a projecting tongue 17 of metal extending along the slit and bent inwardly with respect to. the loop, as indicated in Fig. 5. of the metal is also cut away, Fig. 4).

as at 18 (see The other end of he loop is s1m1- laterally from the loop and are preferably Fig. 4, and provided with openings 22, to

4. One end of A portion larly slitted and cut away but reversely to that of the first end of the loop, that is to say, the cut away portion'and the projectin g tongue at one end of the loopare at the opposite side of the strip from those at the 55 other.

Prior to assembling the clamping member, the one end of the loop is located by the side of the other end. thereof. Referring particularly to Fig. 3, the tongue 17 of the metal at one end of the loop would be 10-. rated at the lower side ofthe tongue 171, as viewed in Fig. 3. 'Tobring the parts into interfitted relation, the strip of metal, form- 4 ing the end ofthe loop on which the tongue 65 17 V is -located,'is passed through the cut away portion'18 of the opposite end of the loop, so that the tongue 17" drops in behind the tongue 171, remembering that both tongues 17 and 171 are bent inwardly from the remaining portions of the loop. The two ends of the loop are thus brought into registry, and are free to move relatively to each other, the tongue 17 forming a guide for the tongue 171 and, conversely, the tongue 171 formin a guide for the tongue 17. The strip or metal forming the loop also ispreferably provided withend portions 19 which extend curved at theirends asat 20 to form con-. 8 Venient pieceswhich may be grasped by the fingers and by compressing which, the slit ted portions of the ends of the loop may be moved away from each other and. the loop thereby enlarged. The strip of metal forming the clamping member is preferably provided with a lat -I eral extension or lug 21 as best shown in whichextension a clip or support 23 may be secured, preferably rigidly, as byrivets 24 as indicated in Fig. 1.- The support 23 in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and r 3 is't'urned back upon itself and preferably extends generally longitudinally of the axis of the flashlight 11, the .supportbeingof suflicient width to hold the flashlight stable and p'rejvent "it from rolling. The end of the clip 23 is brought'in'to engagement with the flashlight vcasing or is closely adjacent m9 thereto, so that the clip may engage a belt or other article of apparel and furnish a convenient means for supporting the flashlight, a feature which is particularly useful for firemen and others who have occasion to carry a flashlight when both hands are otherwise engaged. v 7

Referring to Fig. 2, it will beseen that the frictional engagement of the clamp with the casing of the flashlight permits ready angular movement thereof. with respect to :the-

support. This feature is particularly valuable for mechanics or. other workers be cause it permits the flash light to be placed upon the floor or othersupport and its beam directed in any desired direct-ion.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, a loop 141 of.

spring metal similar to that illustrated in Figs. 1 to is provided, but the projecting ends thereof are preferably bent outwardly as indicated at and are provided with openings (not illustrated) in which the bent ends 26 of a bail shaped metallic member, 26 constituting a hanger for the flashlight, are received. Obviously, the flashlight may be suspended by the bail or the bail may be turned parallel with the flashlight, as shown in 7 and the light supported instable position upon the projecting ends, 25, which perform the same function as the clip,23, in Figs. 1 and 2.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiment, it is to be un-, derstood that the words which I have used are words of description rather than of, limitatlon, andthat changes withinthe scope of the accompanying claims may. be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of my invention.

What I claim.is-

1. In combination, a flashlight provided with a casing, aclamping membercomprising a loop formed of resilient material having slitted portions interfitted with each 3. In combination, a'flash light provided with a substantially cylindrical casing, a clamping member comprising a metal strip of resilient material having a loop' slitted circumferentially at two portions and a part cut away transversely at each portion whereby the two portions may interfit with and move relatively to each other, said strip also being provided with outwardly extending end portions by which the size of said loop may be varied, and means attached to said loop for supporting said flashlight.

4 In combination, a flashlight provided with a substantially cylindrical casing and a clamping member comprising a metal strip formed of resilient material having a loop slitted eircum-ferentially at two portions and a part cut away transversely at each portion, each leavlng ametal tongue extending along-each of said slitted portions, each of 1 saidmetal tongues being *bent inwardly,

whereby the two portions-may interfit with and move relatively to each other, means whereby the size of said loop may be valried and means attached to said clamping member for supportlng saidflashlight. V

5. A flashlight support comprising a band adapted to embrace and frictionally engage saidiflashlight and having slitted 'portions interfitted with each: other and provided withanoffset portion forming a-stable support for said flashlight and preventing it from rolling when resting thereon.

6. In a combined clampingmember and support for a generally cylindrical'member, a strip of spring metal comprising a loop having. slitted end portions interfitted' with each other and movable relatively to each other whereby the size of said loop may be" changed,,.means. for changing the size of said loop, and a support for said cylindrical member on said loop.

7. In combination, a device provided with a substantially cylindrical casing, a clamping member'therefor comprising a metal strip formed of resilient material and having a loop slitted 'circumferentia-lly at two portions and a part cut away transversely at each portion, whereby the two portions may be interfitted with and move relatively, to each other,'means whereby the size of said loop may be varied, and means attached to said-clamping member for-supporting said device.

FRANCIS R. MEGINNISS. 

